


Surprise (Joke's on You)

by ArcMark



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Had too much fun writing this in the early hours of the morning, POV Link (Legend of Zelda), Post-Calamity Ganon, Sorry not sorry Bozai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23646955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcMark/pseuds/ArcMark
Summary: Bozai remembers the girl who left his heart broken; she took his snow boots and sand boots and didn't bother to give him anything in return. Now, he waits for her outside of Gerudo Town in the hopes he’ll see her again.Link remembers the desperate man who hit on him without knowing his true identity; he gave up two pairs of boots for a fruitless endeavour, and Link will gladly inform Zelda of the story as they travel to Gerudo Town.Or: Link and Bozai meet again, and this time, Zelda's here too.
Relationships: Bozai & Link (Legend of Zelda), Bozai & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 150





	Surprise (Joke's on You)

Sand, sand, and more sand. If there’s one thing Link dislikes about the Gerudo Desert more than the scorching heat, it’s the vast amount of sand and its ability to get _everywhere._

In his shoes and in between his toes, sure, but in his clothes and in his hair, too? Most of the time, it seems like overkill, but this time, it’s made more bearable thanks to Zelda being by his side. He has missed being around someone—anyone—who knows him, who can understand his pain and empathize with what they all lost. Sure, there are some: Zora like Sidon, Sheikah like Impa and Purah, but they aren’t the same. They’re visual reminders that time moves along; Sidon is no longer a child, Purah _is_ a child, appearance-wise, and Impa is, well, ancient, for lack of a better term. Seeing them eases some of the pain in Link’s heart, but the weight of his grief will follow him forever. It’s a relief to know someone else can understand that feeling. Having Zelda around—it makes him happier. It proves Calamity Ganon is gone; the nightmare is over.

Link smiles under the veil, and it must show in his eyes, because Zelda glances at him while wiping sweat from her brow, only to ask, “What is it?” He shrugs in response, expression quickly changing to one of slight aggravation—more sand has found its way into his shoes.

When they were at Gerudo Canyon Stable a night ago, he put on the Gerudo outfit he bought so long ago from Vilia to show it off. Zelda laughed softly and marveled at his _vai_ disguise, making comments about him looking pretty, “like a Silent Princess,” but he wonders if she still thinks that now, what with him frowning about the sand in his flats.

They’re headed to Gerudo Town for a meeting between Zelda and Lady Riju. It's the first meeting with the Gerudo that Zelda has had since the end of the Calamity, and she is brimming with excitement and nervous energy, unable to contain herself at openly wondering about the differences to the town after spending a century trapped away. Link is merely content about the visit; it means he has to forgo his usual gear to enter the literal "no man's land," and while he is the legendary hero, he is also a seventeen-year-old boy, give or take a hundred years, and the extra attention he receives while in that outfit...is sometimes unsettling, if his memory serves him right.

They’re not far from the town, having left Kara Kara Bazaar early after a night's rest at the inn to avoid the dangerous chill of the desert nights. It isn’t a far trek, only taking up two or three hours of their time, but Link prefers being early to being late, if only to spend more moments enjoying his time with Zelda in a land not plagued by countless monsters, by constant reminders that he’s failed and failed and failed. But he hasn’t, now, not with her by his side, not with the future in front of them.

But then there’s someone in front of them, someone vaguely familiar in a way that makes Link’s teeth itch. He searches his memory for the name of the man in front of him—something with a _B_. _Bozai._

Instinct takes over, and Link reaches for Zelda’s arm, causing her to gasp softly and look at him with a mix of concern and curiosity. “What is it, Link?” she asks, only to see the way his brow furrows, the way the bright blue of his eyes seems to darken as he glares at the middle-aged man who is twenty-five feet away from them, running in circles near the entrance to Gerudo Town.

“I stole his boots,” Link murmurs, voice low. Zelda’s giggle bubbles forth, uncontainable.

“What?” She slides her arm out of his grip, which has slackened in mere seconds, and looks at him in astonishment. “You stole his boots?”

Link nods imperceptibly, glare unwavering as he speaks. “His name is Bozai. He thought I was a woman and tried to flirt with me. He gave me the sand boots after I took a picture of the Statue of the Eighth Heroine for him, and the snow boots after I showed him a picture of her sword. He kept telling me he felt closer to me; he was sorry for endangering me; he wanted to protect me.” Link’s face scrunches up with disgust.

Zelda looks ready to laugh again, but refrains, if only to save him from feeling like she’s laughing at him.

“I didn’t know you could be such a—a trickster,” she says. “So, he has no idea who you truly are?”

He shakes his head, now looking at her, a brow quirked upwards, as if to ask, “what are you thinking?” because he knows Zelda, knows her mind works fast. She’s a scientist, after all, and sure enough, he’s right in assuming she has a plan.

Although, he didn’t expect it to be, “Why don’t we show him?” followed by her grabbing his hand and leading him towards Bozai, who is working up a sweat in the sickening Gerudo Desert heat. He notices them nearing, recognition flaring in his eyes when he sights Link. There’s hope in his gaze, and the sight of it makes Link’s skin crawl.

Then, Bozai sets his eyes on Zelda and the look now—Link wishes he could forget it. He’s tempted to reach for his sword, and if it weren’t for Zelda holding his hand, he would. They slow to a stop a good few feet away from Bozai, whose face is brightening at the prospect of wooing not one, but two women. Zelda’s innocent laugh only heightens Link’s inner drive to protect her.

“Ms. Boots!” Bozai exclaims. “You’re back! And I see you’ve brought a friend!”

Under the veil, Link grits his teeth. He nods sternly, slight confusion and alarm racing through him as Zelda intertwines their fingers, then smiles brightly at Bozai.

“ _Sav’aaq_ ,” she says. “My friend here has told me all about you.”

“She—she has?” Bozai looks at Link for confirmation, to which he pretends to smile and nods once more.

“She said you gave her the sand boots and snow boots,” Zelda remarks, squeezing Link’s hand gently, as if to soothe him, to ask him to play along with her ruse. “Is that true?”

For a moment, Bozai seems at a loss for words. He recovers quickly, puffing out his chest like a man with something to be proud of, and grins winningly. Link wants nothing more than to wipe the look off his face, but he can’t. His attention is drawn away by the softness of Zelda’s hand, the way their palms fit together, the rough calluses he wears not seeming to bother her in the slightest.

Zelda carries on with the conversation. “I’ve wanted to meet you for a while.”

Bozai looks ecstatic, but his excitement is quickly diminished by her following statement, “I must thank you for inadvertently introducing us. I’ve never met someone so determined and admirable before.” Zelda leans her head on Link’s shoulder, and heat rushes to his face.

Bozai stares at them, brows knit together. “W-wait, what?”

Zelda giggles quietly, gaze soft, loving as she meets Link’s confused and startled one. “We’ve been through so much together,” she says lowly. Link can’t help but gape at her. “I can’t possibly imagine anyone else I’d rather share my life with.”

“Y-You’re a—a couple?” Bozai exclaims, crestfallen. “I–I didn’t know!”

Zelda tears her gaze away from Link, looking at Bozai as though he’s failed her gravely. “What a sad day it must be, learning that not all women are interested in you.”

Link looks away from Zelda. Bozai is speechless before them—all hope now gone from his eyes. It’s the only sign Link needs to squeeze Zelda’s hand gently; she lifts her head, stares at him curiously, lets him lead her into Gerudo Town, the two guards by the entrance saying nothing about the scene they just witnessed.

They stop before the steps to the palace, still holding hands as Link’s gaze bores into Zelda’s. He knows she meant every word about him, and wishes they were elsewhere, somewhere less sandy, so he could show her how he feels. But for the moment, he settles for a quiet, “Thank you.”

The way she smiles at him, he knows she understands. They’re a team, a duo, a queen, and her ever-faithful bodyguard. Together, they ascend the steps of the palace, ready to meet Lady Riju.

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write this fic for a long time, and I'm glad to say the day has come where I've finally done it. I hope you enjoyed my funky little one-shot.


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